1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to displaying content on a content display system, and in particular, to determining content to display upon a power-on event in a network including multiple content sources.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Content display devices, such as a televisions, typically display the program that is currently being played on the channel that was being displayed when the display device was turned off. The content that is displayed when the display device is powered on may not be content that is desired. For example, if a television is tuned to the nightly news and turned off at 7 pm, and then turned on at 3 am, the displayed content will most likely not be desired content.
Some systems give a user more power-on options such as a pre-selected channel. However, these systems are typically not adaptive to what is currently available. These systems are also not designed for multiple content sources available in current integrated home or business networks.
Some systems have provisions that provide additional automation of content determination at time of power-on events. These systems may attempt to ease access to content based on a single content source by utilizing the source supplied electronic program guide (EPG) data. This also does not consider the networked environment where multiple content sources are available.
Some systems attempt to identify an individual user and have rules of content selection dependent on the user's identity. These systems may use complex methods of user identification in order to narrow down content that the individual user may be most interested in. However, mere presence of a certain user at a certain location may not mean that this user's desired content is appropriate for other viewers present at the time the display device is activated. For example, if an adult user turns on a display device in a child's bedroom, the content that is displayed may be appropriate for the adult user, but not the child that is also present. What is needed are methods and systems for determining content to be displayed at a power-on event that take into account one or more factors such as multiple content sources, display device location and time of day.